The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-27
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
The Senate Orders an Inquiry Into the
Recent Alleged 0utrages in Texas.
Debate on the Bill Establishing Agricultural
Experiment StatiOns-Action on the River
and Harbor Bill in the House.
THE SENATE.
After Debate, an Inquiry Into the Alleged
Texas Outrages Is Ordered.

NASHlNGTON, JAN ne cEeuohti"4o Va
Senator's Gray of Delaware. Dawes of Massa-
chusetts and Cockrel of Missouri for the full
term commencing March 4. 1887, were presented
and placed on file.
Mr.. Morgan, from the committee on foreign
relations, made a report on the petition OF Will
lam Webster a citizen of the United States,
with resolution stating that after due exami-
nation of the matters presented in the petition
and of the evidence in support of the claim for
indemnity from the British government for land
in New Zealand, purchased by him in good faith
from native chiefs, and duly conveyed to him be-
fore the government of Great Britain acquired
sovereignty over that country, the Senate
sidors such claim to be founded in justice and to
deserve the cocnizance and support of the gov
eminent of the United States: also, requesting
the President to take such measures as. IN his
opinion, may be proper to secure to William
Webster just settlement and final adj ustment
Of this claim. The resolutions were placed on
the calendar.
The Senate proceeded to consideration of the
resolution reported yesterday by Mr. Hoar, in
structlng the committee on privileges and cleo
tons to investigate the allegations made by
three residents of Washington county. Texas, as
to their being driven from their homes. COM
PEELED 20 abandon their property and deprived OF
the right OF suffrage in that county
Mr. Coke opposed the resolution. He was not
hverse nor was the State of Texas, to an in
vestigation of charges properly made against
the State Involving subject over which Con-
gress had jurisdiction. But he protested that
the PROPOSED investigation was into subject
pot/within the Jurisdiction of Congress. The
State or Texas had State autonomy. Her Con-
stitution and laws were in full force and opera
tion. She could redress all grievances, per-
Honal otherwise, occurring within her Dor
ders. The subject was one peculiarly within the
jurisdiction of the State and that resolution
was an irtermeddling with something belonging
solely to the State and outside of the jurisdic-
ton of the general government He gave his
tory of the case, TO the effect that respectable
white Democrat had been shot by a colored man
at the polls near Brennan, Tex; that three
colored men had been arrested and placed in
Jail, charged with that crime that a mob had
taken them ont of Jail and hanged them, and
that the three petitioners-Hackworth, Moore
and Schultze--who had been prominent
in influencing and deluding the negro
population there, had supposed their lives to
be in danger, and had fed the country.
That all there was in it. He had received
to-day telegram from D. c. Gliding, of Bren-
ham, formerya representative IN Congress from
Texas, stating that the three petitioners were OF
the worst type OF sealswags; that they had been
mainly instrumental in stirring up strife between
the races. and we're charged with instiga ting the
murder referred to [of a man named Roltonl;
that they were not driven from their houses, nor
were their lives threatened, but their own guilty
conscences had caused them to leave the country
for the countrys good He submitted that the
to do - would be to allow the fair fame of
of the States Of the Union to be aspersed with
out testimony. 1t would be an injustice which
should not be tolerated in the Senate.
Dir. Hoar defended and advocated the resou-
ton. The three petitioners, he said, represented
that they were men of property, of wealth; that
= they had been earning their living in peaceful,
lawful and honorable ways, and that they had
been driven ont from their homes American
coil They residents of that county; nobody
denied that. They were now refugees and exiles;
nobody denied that. As to the statement that col
ored men had killed peaceful respectable white
Democrat who had given no ofepse, that was
not very probable statement Such things did
not often occur in Texas, elsewhere. The
fact was that the man who was killed was dis
guisf d AS Kukux
Mr. Coke denied that statement and said
there not word of truth in it.
Mr. Hoar reasserted his statement and re-
ferred TO the fact that Senators had spoken the
other day of war against foreign power be-
cause of the seizure of some fishing vessels, and
he asked whether the right of American citi-
zen less sacred in the eve of the American
Congress WHOM 1t happened to be violated on
American sc1l
Mr. Salisbury la member of the comm fttee)
protested against the committee privileges
and elections being made the dumping ground
for every scalawag who chose to go there and
make charges against his neiGhbors.
Mr. EdmunGs advocated the resolution.
Mr., Eusts Ia member or the commttee) op-
posed it as "waviug of the bloody shirt little
n proposition to make political capital
Mr. Hawley advocated the resolution. He did
not regard the question as one which the Senate
was at liberty to consider to set aside as il
chose. The power to make the proposed inves
tigation was not only unquestioned but irresisti
BILE.
Mr.. Evarts Ia member of the committed sus
tanned the resolution and argued that there
could be no better time than the present fol
making the investigation. L. of great i'm
portance to the country, to the State of Texas
and to the Southern people. that now. wher
there was an opportunity Oto prove, under the
Authority Of the Senate, that THIS was q
mere waving of the bloody Shirt" it should
do so.
MIR Salisbury offered an amendment reuuir
ing the investigation to be conducted in Wash
ington county. Texas.
Mr. Hoar o'oosed the amendment The ques
tion should be left to the discretion and judg
ment of the committee.
The amendment was rejected-yeas 20
nays 81
Mr. Call opposed the resolution as an attacl
on the very life of the government and Ameri
can institutions. II declaration that tn
Senate of the United States-separated widel,
from the sympathies of the people-believed tina
the people in the different States and communi
ties could not be trusted.
The vote was then taken, and the resolu
tion was adopted-yeas 81, nays &c as follows:
YEAS
Aldrich, Hale, Morrill,
Blair Hawley, Platt
Bowen, Hoar Sabn,
Chace Ilealls, SAWYER
Cheney Jones (Nev) Sewen
Conger, Nc Milan Sherman,
Cnllom, Mshone Spooner
Edmunds Henderson. Teller.
Evarts Miller, Williams.
Farwell, Mitchell tPa), wilson Ia )-31
Frye,
Beck. Gibson. Payne,
Berry German Pugh,
Rlackhrrr GRAY Ransom,